Dengue fever in Makkah neighbourhoods is fast declining as a result of preventive measures adopted by various government departments, according to an official of the Ministry of Health. “The latest studies of the ministry showed that the number of dengue fever patients fell last week by more than 50 per cent compared to their number in the previous weeks thanks to various preventive measures adopted by the ministry and other related agencies,” Khaled Al-Zahrani, assistant undersecretary for preventive medicine at the Ministry of Health, told a meeting convened by the Makkah municipality to discuss the steps taken by various government departments to bring the dreaded disease under control. The participants reviewed the results produced by fumigations and spraying operations undertaken jointly by municipal and agricultural officials. Mashat commended the efforts made by the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment to identify locations that could become potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes in the area.